Newcomers: 2008 Bentley Continental GT Speed

Majestic--plus a bit: One of the world's most beautiful coupes gets lighter, faster, cooler

Bentley's new Speed version of the Continental GT has 48 more horses than standard and manages just a four-mph increase in top speed, such is the obduracy of air when smitten at ultra-high velocities. Still, 202 mph ain't shabby, especially in the context of a super-luxury almost-four-seater rather than a cramped semi-racer.The Conti GT is four years old now and marks it with a mild facelift. The radiator grille is fractionally more upright and proud, and the front lower-bumper has larger air intakes. Few will notice except current owners, but then they didn't want much change because the car's looks are the reason they've been buying it in the first place. They probably didn't deem its 552 horsepower inadequate, either, but just to be sure, the Speed version has nine percent more, up to 600, and 15 percent more torque at 553 pound-feet.

The 552- and 600-horsepower engines benefit from reductions in internal friction and low-back-pressure cats (for some modest mileage gains, should anyone care), but the Speed has new connecting rods and pistons to take advantage of higher boost. It also gets a sharper suspension tune, including a solid-mounted front subframe. Both coupes now have aluminum front uprights and other measures cutting 77 pounds from the car. Another 44 pounds are saved by the costly optional ceramic discs, the largest on any production car. At high speed, they do the job with all the resolve you'd hope for and are said to be fadefree for lapping the Nurburgring, but in town from cold, their response is infuriatingly uneven.

Settling into the diamond-quilted leather, among tactile knurl-finish metalwork, is an event. A new smaller steering wheel adds intimacy, and, although this is a coupe, you do sit relatively high and never lose sense of the weight. Still, if anything can keep it all in check, a combination of AWD, adaptive self-leveling air suspension, and bespoke 275/35x20 Pirelli PZero tires should do the trick. So they do. There's a pleasing accuracy to the steering and even some newfound road feel. Body control is excellent, even if all-out agility isn't. It's a commandingly easy car to drive quickly in all conditions-and have fun with. The ESP has an unobtrusive sport mode: use it, and you can brake deep into a curve, then deploy all that torque to ease the back end wide as you catapult away down the straight.

Now, can we detect the extra power and torque? I'm not sure we can, not at least without a back-to-back comparison. The Conti GT was always majestic. Now it's majestic plus a bit. Flicking the beautifully crafted Tiptronic levers and sailing past slower traffic is an easily accessed treat. A terrific exhaust burble on the overrun is the best bit of its sonics.

Every one of the changes that make up the increment from GT to GT Speed is welcome. But to be honest they don't transform the car. Bentley will tell you it's more hard-edged, but clearly Bentley's definition of hard-edged is different from Porsche's. No problem. No new direction was required for Bentley-this latest version merely pushes it farther down the same glorious road.

Otherwise, the Bentley tries to keep things quiet, though some wind and tire noise defeat its efforts. Sitting atop the multi-adjustable leather throne, you're aware the air suspension and adaptive dampers can't entirely wipe out road disturbance. The worst of it is the mild shuddering that's an inevitable result of having such unsprung mass. It's better in the new version because of the switch to aluminum for some components and the fitment of ceramic brake rotors, but the problem isn't solved.